RECIPE: Cauliflower Soup with Three Garnishes - Lovage, Saffron, and Red Pepper

There was cauliflower at Groh Farm a few weeks ago so I made one of my favorite cauliflower soups - raw Cauliflower and Cashew Soup.  I normally serve this with a roasted red pepper puree, but I have also served it with lovage oil.  Since I JUST made a fresh batch of lovage oil, and the new harvest of red peppers is starting to come in, I made a fresh batch of the roasted red pepper puree.  Then...looking for one additional flavor to add to the party, I made the saffron extract I used in the asparagus risotto I made earlier this year.

Cauliflower Soup with Three Garnishes - Lovage, Saffron, and Red Pepper

The garnishes can be used separately or together.  

Using these three different colors, I was able to draw a flower on the surface of the soup!  I outlined the flower with a skewer, so the oils would have a boundary, then pulled the point of the skewer through the 'petals'.  Because the soup is served cold, you have plenty of time to play around with the garnishes.

INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower and Cashew Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Puree

Lovage Oil (either recipe, but the darker one will be more visible)

Saffron Extract

Small skewers, small droppers, and small spoons.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Transfer the soup to a small soup bowl and smooth the top (I played around in a custard cup).

Transfer the garnishes to small containers, and add droppers and/or small spoons.  

I now store the oil and extract in 4oz amber bottles with a dropper top which makes it easy to pull them out to add flourishes.  My red pepper puree does work in a dropper, but make sure your puree works in your dropper!  If your puree is thicker you may need to add a little more oil or cream.

Garnishes in small pitchers with droppers and small spoons.

To clean the droppers, soak them in water with a little dish soap overnight.  The next day, remove the glass dropper from the bulb.  Using a small brush (I use the one that came with my glass straws), scrub the inside of the dropped with a little soap.  Thoroughly rinse the soap from the dropper, then use a small piece of tissue to dry the inside:

Drying the dropper with a tissue.

My first attempt was a bit of a failure, because the oils didn't stay where I put them, but it still tasted good: